Overview
- Princeton researchers used a microfluidic 3D tumor model with human plasma-like media to test how circulating nutrients shape triple-negative breast cancer behavior.
- Tumor aggregates exposed to fatty acids and cholesterol developed small, hollow branches that reached outward, a pattern linked to invasive cancers.
- Gene profiling showed higher activity of movement and tissue-remodeling programs under high-fat conditions, with MMP1 upregulation tied to collagen breakdown and the structural shifts.
- A nutrient mix meant to mimic a ketogenic diet did not look healthier in this model, and tumors under high insulin, glycerol, or ketone conditions stayed relatively compact.
- The team stressed that this is an idealized system without immune or many stromal cells, so causation in patients remains unproven and follow-up tests, including MMP1 inhibition and in vivo studies, are planned.